Orientation & Mobility Program

A woman wearing a blindfold walks on the sidewalk with a white cane. Her instructor is a couple steps behind her, also carrying a white cane.


The Orientation & Mobility Program is a two-week residential training course designed for individuals who are legally blind who want to learn white cane travel or improve upon existing cane and traveling skills, and further their goal of becoming safer, more independent travelers.

Pilot Dogs provides round-trip transportation, room and board, and a white cane.

Our Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialists teach concepts and techniques necessary for travel through any environmental condition and situation. Students will learn how to use their senses to determine their position within the environment and techniques for safe movement from one place to another.

Lessons include:

    Human guide technique

    Upper and lower body protective techniques

    Squaring off and trailing

    White cane techniques

    Cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west)

    An opportunity to walk with a Pilot Dog

    For those individuals with some remaining vision, a sleep shade will be provided during some lessons to improve non-visual skills.

Real-world applications include:

    Crossing streets in residential, commercial, and urban areas

    Crossing streets with simple and complex light-controlled intersections

    Traveling in areas with no sidewalks

    Soliciting information in stores

    Navigating driveways and parking lots

    Riding public transportation

    Learning how to use APS (Accessible Pedestrian Signals)

Your Stay at Pilot Dogs

Qualified students enrolled in the Orientation & Mobility course will spend two weeks in residence at Pilot Dogs.

We will make round-trip reservations for you to travel to the Pilot Dogs campus in Columbus, Ohio. As you pack for your stay, be sure to check the weather – Ohio experiences all four seasons with a wide range of temperatures and precipitation. 

Accommodations

  • Our student residence facility features large, comfortable, non-smoking/non-vaping private suites, and a resident assistant is on duty throughout your stay. Suite amenities include: 

Private bathroom with a shower (bath towels and bathrobe provided)

Queen-size bed (linens and pillows provided)

A large dresser and a closet with hangers

Small refrigerator

Television with streaming TV

Desk and chair

O&M APPLICATION

If you are having issues completing the online application, please send us a message or give us a call and we'll be happy to help!